Sectional screw conveyer



Feb. 5, 1946. s l GEBERT 2,394,163

`SECTIONAL SCREW CONVEYER Filed June 8, 1944 Flew.'

56ML( /CLQ nTroRNEY Patented Feb. 5, 1946 SEC'EENAL SCREW CONVEYER SeverC. Gebert, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Fairbanks, Morse & Co., Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 8, 194e, Serial No.539,279

4 Claims.

. This invention relates generally to material conveying devices ofscrew or helical flight character, and more particularly t improvementsin sectional screw conveyers of a type suitable for use in bin-fed coalstoker assemblies or the like.

The principal object of the present invention resides in the provisionof a sectional screw-type conveyer wherein is embodied improved couplingmeans for uniting the several sections of the conveyer in a manneraffording greatly improved and positive operating connections thereof.

Another object is to provide a sectional conveyer wherein the severalsections are similar in form and construction, and each is constitutedby a unitary structure embodying coupling means as integral partsthereof, whereby each section may be readily and economically producedas a single casting of steel or other suitable material.

Another object is to provide in a conveyer of the character indicated,improved coupling means for each of the conveyer sections, adapted forassembly connection of the sections to permit operation of the conveyerin tension, the coupling means further being so formed and arranged asto offer little or no resistance to the movement of coal or othermaterial by the conveyer.

A further object is to provide for improved cou- ,pling of conveyerscrew or ight sections in a manner to permit ready and quickly effecteddisconnection thereof, as for the purpose of repair or replacement ofany one or more damaged or worn sections.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear readily fromthe following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, asillustrated by the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal elevation, of a conveyer sectionembodying the improvements afforded' by the present invention, a portionat one end of the shaft thereof, being sectioned to illustrate one partof the shaft coupling provisions;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of one end of the conveyer, as the left endin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the opposite end thereof;

Fig. 4 illustrates in fragmentary longitudinal elevation, two conveyersections in coupled assembly, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View in longitudinal elevation at the couplingzone, further illustrating features of present improvement.

While the sectional screw conveyer embodying the improved coupling meansas herein disclosed and which forms the principal subject of the presentinvention, has particular utility in connection with coal stokers, andis especially suitable for use in bin-fed stokers, as for the conveyanceof coal (through a conduit or the like,

in which the conveyer is disposed, according to usual practice) from abin or other relatively large capacity coal storage Zone, eitherdirectly tothe stoker retort or to a zone of coal transfer to anotherconveyer leading to the retort, it will be appreciated that the improvedconveyer as hereinafter described, may have ready application toysystems or apparatus other than coal stokers, wherein material transferis desired or required.

Referring now to the drawing by appropriate numerals of reference, thesectional conveyer according to the present invention, is comprised oftwo or more sections each of which is of the presently preferred formand construction illustrated by Figs. 1 to 3. As `there shown, thesection indicated generally by the numeral I0, includes a shaft I I anda spiral or helical conveyer flight element I2 arranged thereon.Although the ight element may be formed separately and suitably securedon the shaft as by welding or otherwise, it is presentlypreferred toprovide the shaft and flight as an integral unit, preferably a singlesteel casting.

Formed integrally of the shaft II and projecting longitudinally from oneend thereof, as the right hand end It (Fig. 1), is a coupling element orhook-like member I5 terminatingv in a lateral projection orfinger-element I6 extending substantially radially of the shaft axis(Fig. 3) the element I5 providing a substantially planar abutment faceI8 (for a purpose later to appear) opposed t0 the shaft end it anddefining therewith, a notch or generally rectangular recess I9. Thelongitudinal margin of member I5 opposite the recess IS, is formed toprovide a strengthening boss 20 as shown, smoothly merging with theshaft inwardly or rearwardly of the shaftl end I4, and inwardlybevelledas at 22, at the free end of the member I5. Further, theopposite side faces 23 0f member I5 provide substantially parallel planesurfaces '24 of an extent longitudinally of the member, correspondingsubstantially to that of the recess IS, and inwardly bevelled surfaceportions 25 terminating at the outer end of the member.

The right hand end portion 26 (Fig. 1) of the screw or spiral flightelement I2, is extended as shown, beyond the shaft end lll, to terminateover the boss 20 of the coupling element I5 in a planar abutment face 21disposed by present preference, normal to the shaft and substantially ina longitudinal plane through the shaft axis. Flight face 21 as thusprovided, affords assembly abutment with a complemental flight face ofan adjacent conveyer section, as will appear presently. In extending thefiight end over boss 2li, a shaftroot portion 28 of the flight, projectsin exposed position beyond the shaft end I4 to merge with the boss, asshown by Fig. 3 in particular. The exposed portion 23 thus affords ashoulder which in the present example, is shaped to provide asubstantially planar face directed forwardly of the shaft endifandat' aninclinationzto the shaft' axis, the presently preferred inclinationthereof as illustrated, being approximately 45 degrees.-

The shoulder 28 serves a purpose in the coupling of the sections, whichwill appeari hereinafter;

Turning now to the coupling provisions at theits opening axially oftheshaft, by an abutmenty elementv or bridge piece :i6-integral with. theshaft and spanning the slot 32 therein, inwardly'adjacent'theshaftperiphery' at the shaft end (Fig. 2r); The bridge piece whichIconstitutes an ele-` ment of the presently improvedr coupling means,providesa substantially planar abutment face33 normal'to the shaft axisand located in the slot adjacentv the'slot' opening 35. As indicated inFig. 2, the side faces 39 ofthe slot 32'present substantially planesurfacesin general parallelism axially of 1the shaftend. The-shaft end3i further, has itsperipheralY end-margin adjacent the slot side opening34` and on one side only, bevelled at 4D to provideV a flator planarseat for receiving thereagainst in the coupling of the sections, theshoulder 2'8'- onthe* adjacent conveyer section. Sinceasf presentlypreferred, the shoulder 28` isinclined at an' angle of' approximately45-degrees tothe shaft aXis'-, the bevel seat 46' will have a`corresponding inclination.

A`s shown by Figs. l and 2', the opposite or leftliand end 42 of thescrew flight element l2, ter-- minates in the zone of .the slotted shaftend 3U, in a-planarface 43 adjacent theflghtperiphery, directed normalto the shaft a-ndn a longitudinal plane through the shaftl axis. Belowor inwardly of the` face 43; the flight end is recessed a's-atr 44,providing an inset face which by' preference, is' cci-planar with oneside face 3'9 ofthe slot,

Fig.' 4- illustrates a' pair of conveyor sections eachV of. the' formandconstruction nereinabo'veA described, in operativelyconneetedi'relation. The hoo'klik'e coupling member' ler-4S of.one-section is endwise received in theshaft slotr32' of the other"section, being inserted therein suchA as to dispose the nger'elei'nent'le behind the slot bridge or abutment element 35 and through the side'o'p'ening 3`5of .the slot', with the vbridgeelement'3By thus occupyingthe *recess i9, whereby the elements are thus` positioned for' surfaceengagementbetween thev face i8' of the nger and theface" 38'of thebridge piece, upon operation: ofV the` .coni'feyerin tension. Informing-` the shaft slot32, its'V transverse dimension or'width isrestricted: to an' extent'. affording' only a minimum" clearance forpermitting ready insertion or removal of theelem'ent l5' relative totheslot, and such'that in coupling' as` sembly; substantial' surface'-engagement willY ob"- tai'rii between the slot facesse' and theplanar,lat-- Radially eral4 faces 24 of the hookke'lem'ent l5". beyond theshaft coupling, the contiguous ends' of'lthefli'ght' elements of thecoupled sections arev in abutment, as between the terminal face' 2?ofthe" left-hand section and the terminalfaceli` of the other"section.linwardly of the flight face' 43',.- the recess 44' in flight end $2; is;now closedv on its othefwiseopen sides (Figs.v Land 2-) bly! theladjacent or opposed surface portion of the flight face 2l' and theunderlying surface portion of the peripheral boss 20, bothon theleft-hand conveyer section, thus to dei-ine a slot 46` for' receivingtherethrough, a key or locking element 41 (Fig. 5). As indicated in Fig.5, the element 41 having its mid-section closely received in theslot-isformed initially with one end portion 48 turned outwardly so asto engage or lie against the' adjacent. marginal or side face of theight end 4?., upon seating of the element in slot 46. The opposite end(portion 50 of the element, Whichprojects initially as indicated by thebroken line show-ing thereof, is in suitable manner, turned oppositelyinto engagement with .the adjaoentsideffaoe ofthe flight end 26. The keyelement as thus disposed, serves to bring the abutting night ends into'alignment and to maintain such' alignment in conveyor operation.Moreover, in effectingthe foregoing', a slight relative axial dis#placement of the coupled sections will occur, such as to eflectpositiveface abutment of the coaoting n'gerelement land slot bridge piece-36.Thus* the key' el'. effectivelyv locks theV conveyor sections in coupledassembly, so as to' preclude relative axial displacement of the couplingand flight-elements, and further prevents relativedisplacement oftheelements transversely of .the shaftaxis', through engagement of the keymid-section (in slot 4E) with the outer end ofthe slot' (being the'y endthereof underlying the flight face 43), and with the boss 2ll` (Fig. 4)deiini-ng the inner end of the slot'. It is to be noted also, that inthe coupled sections wherein the abutment element 3S is closely receivedin the recess l 9v` and in engagement with the overlying margin of thecoupling element l5, a relatively true: axial alignment of the shaftsobtains, and that such valignment is eifectively maintained by the key41 in engagementwith the coupling boss 2'0.

ltv now will'appear that in the conveyor sections connected by theimproved coupling means as' herein described, thel axial coupling loadoccurring from operation' of the sections in tension,` is applied at theabutting coupling elements I6 and 3G, these elements according to' thepresent improvements, beingin engagement in a'zo'ne inwardly of theshaft periphery andhen'ce', relativelyV near the` axisv of4 the"connected shafts.' Moreover, the rotary' driving connection ofthe'seotions a's afforded by the Ycoupling' provisions, is such` as' todistribute the torsional loadV between substantially radiallyv spacedzones of'lthe ooupling; asin part at the' engaginglside faces`139 and"23 of" tlie'shaft slot 32 and shaft element". l5 respectively; and inpart at the abutting faces 2T and 43 of' the contiguous flight ends, thelatter being appreciably radially beyond the shaft axis.`

irripr'oved coupling provisions for asectional'conveyer, are provided"as integral` parts` offeachr conveyer' section, thereby avoiding many ofthe'dis advantages found in earlier prevailing couplings;Y

s uch asthose affording, pinned or boltedconnec.

tion of flight sections. By reason of theipresentr improvements, each'section may be readily produced by a' vsir'igle steel casting,characterized'. in completed form', by' great strength particularly inthe zones of the coupling elements thereof, and

by a materially increased operating life. It is to be noted especially,in connection with the foregoing, that the shearing stresses in the Zoneof the shaft coupling, are reduced to a marked extent by distribution ofthe torque load between the abutting nights and the shaft coupling, andadditionally by the provision of substantial surface contact of theshaft coupling faces 23 and 39.

It will be observed from Figs. 4 and 5 illustrating sections in coupledassembly, that the coupling means affords close-coupling of the shaftelements and a relation of the nights such as to effect a continuous orunbroken spiral or helical extent thereof through the coupling zone, sothat resistance to smooth and enicient movement of coal or othermaterial by the sectional conveyer, is thereby reduced to a minimum orsubstantially avoided. Moreover, and as will be now appreciated, any oneor more of the sections may be readily and quickly disconnected, as forrepair or replacement, upon removal of the appropriate key elements 41.

Although the invention has been fully described in application to but asingle, presently preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated by theaccompanying drawing, it is to be understood that modifications in partsand relative arrangement thereof may be made without departing from thespirit and full intended scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sectional conveyer, conveyer sections each including a shaft, acoupling member on one end of the shaft and terminating in a lateralprojection, said member and projection being formed so as to besubstantially within the peripheral connnes of the shaft, the oppositeshaft end providing a longitudinal recess therein, having an openingextending substantially radially to the shaft periphery in a zoneinwardly of the shaft end, a helical night element on said shaft,extending to the zones of said coupling member and shaft recess, theends of the flight element terminating in planar faces in a longitudinalplane through the shaft axis, and one of said ends having a recess inthe planar face thereof, said sections in coupled assembly, having thecoupling member of one section received in the shaft recess of the nextadjacent section in relatively close lateral connnement therein and withsaid lateral projection of the coupling member in and through saidrecess opening, and havingv the planar faces at the contiguous ends ofthe night elements thereof, in substantial surface abutment, and astrip-like element extending through said recess in the planar face ofsaid one of said night ends, and overlapping the contiguous ends of thenight elements, serving to maintain the night ends in alignment and thesections in coupled assembly.

2. A conveyer of the character described, comprising conveyer sectionseach including a shaft and a helical night thereon, a shaft end of onesection being substantially axially recessed and providing a recessopening extending substantially radially to the shaft periphery andlocated inwardly of the shaft end, the adjacent shaft end of the nextadjacent section being formed to provide a coupling member having aterminal projection thereon, with the member and projection so formed asto be substantially within the peripheral connnes of the shaft, saidcoupling member being received in said shaft end recess in relativelyclose lateral connnement therein and with the terminal projectiondisposed in and through said recess opening, the contiguous night endsof the adjacent sections being in end-abutment, one of said contiguousends providing an end-recess therein, and a strip-like member arrangedthrough said night end-recess and having its ends deformed into lateralclamping engagement with opposite surfaces of the contiguous night ends,effective to maintain the contiguous night ends in alignment and theadjacent sections in coupled assembly.

3. In a sectional conveyer, conveyer sections each including a shaft anda helical night thereon, said shaft at one end, including a couplingmember having a lateral terminal projection thereon, formed so as to besubstantially within the peripheral connnes of the shaft, the oppositeshaft end being provided with a substantially axial recess having anopening extending substantially radially to the shaft periphery andlocated inwardly of the shaft end, said opposite shaft end further beingformed to provide an inclined end-surface at one side of said recess,said night at one end, extending over said coupling member andterminating in a planar face normal to the shaft, said night endproviding an inclined shoulder near said shaft coupling member, theopposite night end extending to the zone of said shaft recess andterminating in a planar face normal to the shaft, said sections incoupled assembly, having the coupling member of one section received inthe shaft recess of the next adjacent section, in relatively closelateral connnement therein and with the terminal projection thereof inand through said recess opening, and'said inclined shouldersubstantially in engagement with said inclined end-surface, and havingthe planar faces of the contiguous night ends in substantial abutment,

4. In a sectional conveyer, conveyer sections each including ashaft anda helical night thereon, said shaft at one end, including a couplingmember having a lateral terminal projection thereon, formed so as to besubstantially within the peripheral connnes of the shaft, the oppositeshaft end being provided with a substantially axial recess having .anopening extending substantially radially to the shaft periphery andlocated inwardly of the shaft end, said opposite shaft end further beingformed to provide an inclined endsurface at one side of said recess,said night at one end, extending over said coupling member andterminating in a planar face normal to the shaft, said night endproviding an inclined shoulder near said shaft coupling member, theopposite night end extending to the zone of said shaft recess andterminating in a planar face normal to the shaft, said sections incoupled assembly, having the coupling member of one section received inthe shaft recess of the next adjacent section, in relatively closelateral connnement 'therein and with the terminal projection thereof inand through said recess opening, and said inclined shouldersubstantially in engagement with said inclined end-surface, and havingthe planar faces of the contiguous night ends in substantial abutment,and means in the zone of said contiguous night ends, adapted formaintaining the night ends in alignment and the sections in coupledassembly.

SEVER C. GEBERT.

